How To Unclog A Toilet Without A Plunger?

Irrespective of how hard you try, sometimes a toilet or bathroom clog is unavoidable. Whatever might be the reason for the clog, you need to clear the same. When you wish to fix the problem, a plunger might be the first thing that comes to your mind. However, what if a plunger does not work for your case? Or, you do not own one to start with? Let us help you know how to unclog a toilet without using a plunger.

Why Would You Experience A Clogged Toilet? 

One of the most common issues a plumber will attend to, and something that happens every day in home’s across Sydney. A clogged toilet.

From overusing toilet paper to flushing the “wrong” items down the toilet, clogged or blocked toilets are a nuisance. Still, you should be able to fix a clogged toilet quite easily, with or without a plunger. Some clogs will require professional help, especially if it keeps happening and you’re not sure why it’s happening – and that’s when you call our team at Proximity Plumbing. 

The best way to skip a sticky unclogging situation is to prevent a clogged toilet in the first place. 

Here are some reasons why you could have a clogged toilet: 

Hard Water

If the water in your household has a higher mineral content, you have a flow of hard water. Usually, hard water creates havoc for your pipelines while causing issues with the normal functioning of the toilet. The minerals present in hard water can lead to calcification while forming a white substance that becomes difficult to remove. It will lead to a blockage causing a clogged toilet.

Flushing The Wrong Items Down The Toilet

One of the most common reasons for a clogged toilet is flushing foreign items down the pipes. Many homeowners still flush “flushable” wipes, wet wipes, female hygiene products, baby wipes, and other bathroom or household debris down the toilet. Unlike toilet paper, these foreign substances do not dissolve and form a blockage when they meet with other material that gets pushed down the pipes.

Foreign Items Accidentally Being Flushed

Anyone with kids will know the toddler years especially can see a lot of unexpected thought patterns. No, the dinosaur toy doesn’t belong in the toilet bowl. You’d be surprised what we’ve seen accidentally ‘flushed’. It might make it halfway around the S bend, but no further. Sometimes your little one may flush something without you knowing, and the clog is an unknown reason until we get there.

Worn-out Pipes

The pipes of your house’s plumbing system can break, crack, or become crushed due to several reasons – corrosion, heavy rain, drastic changes in temperature, and constant wear and tear. As the pipes break down, the drainage system of the toilet slows down while not keeping up with the increasing demands of the household. Due to this, you could have the problem of a clogged toilet.

Tree Root Infestation

Tree roots can find even the smallest hairline crack in your sewage pipes and infiltrate your pipe system. They feed off the nutrient-rich water and can grow a considerable amount in a small amount of time. As the tree root network expands they can grow so much that they completely block your pipes. When this happens you will start to see clogs in your toilet and eventually experience waste coming back up through the toilet, as it has nowhere else to go.
Please know, if this happens – call a professional plumber near you to come out ASAP and inspect, fix and remedy your sewage drainage problem. 

Best Alternatives To A Plunger For Unclogging A Toilet

Even with the best-functioning toilet system, a clog can occur. It is advised that you should have a plunger handy to deal with plumbing emergencies. It can be, however, scary when you find yourself with a clogged toilet and no plunger. Here are some effective alternatives to deal with such a situation:

Dish Soap

To unclog your toilet without a plunger, you can head to your kitchen for some dish soap. The slipper soap material helps in lubricating the blocked pipe while allowing the clogged debris to slide down effectively. Pour around half a cup of dish soap water into the toilet directly. 

How Water

If dish soap alone is not capable of doing the trick, you can think of adding hot water to move things down the drain. Fill your bucket with hot water while pouring the same into the toilet directly. The force of the water can help in dislodging whatever might be causing the clog. 

DIY Wire Hanger as a Drain Snake

A clog can require moving the items manually. To unclog the toilet without a plunger, you can make use of a wire coat hanger. Start unravelling it until it becomes straight. Push the hanger’s one side down the toilet. Keep prodding the debris until the toilet becomes free while flowing down the drain.

Bi-carb Soda Mixture

As a great alternative to a plunger and dish soap, you can try out the all-natural solution. You can go ahead with pouring one cup of bi-carb soda with two cups of vinegar directly into the toilet. Allow the mixture to fizz for around half an hour. If the clog will not dissipate, you can try the hot water method. 

Only Flush Three Things

The only things that should be flushed down the toilet are: Pee, Poop and Paper (toilet paper). That’s it! Everything else is for the bin. And that includes “flushable” wipes – the bane of every plumber out there.

Clean the Toilet Regularly

Baking soda, vinegar, or a mild detergent or soap are great ingredients to clean your porcelain toilet. Regular cleaning your toilet will help in maintaining a clean, hygienic, and clog-free toilet for a longer period of time. A clean toilet bowl will help in avoiding common clogs in the plumbing system.

Avoid Using Harsh Chemical Cleaners

Harmful chemicals for cleaning your toilet can be harmful to the fixtures and pipes of the toilet system. They can also lead to specific problems in the septic systems when used too frequently. And, there’s really no need for them if you’re following the above points.

Inspect the Inner Working of the Toilet

To ensure that there is no clog and that all systems are working properly, you should conduct an in-depth inspection of the inner components at least every six months. If you cannot do it on your own, you can ask a professional plumber to conduct the inspection as part of a routine plumbing appointment. We do this at Proximity Plumbing, just call the team today and ask for our next available appointment. 

When Do You Need To Call a Plumber?

When you are dealing with a clogged toilet and you think you cannot fix it on your own, or you simply don’t want to – you can reach out to a professional emergency plumber [or our team at Proximity Plumbing] to help.
If you have tried all possible ways to clear the blockage, and you’re still not happy, then reach out to our team today and we can assist you ASAP. 

If your toilet is clogging daily or weekly, it show signs of an underlying problem and potentially a chronic plumbing problem that will need to be addressed by an expert. Our team would most likely carry out a CCTV pipe inspection with a drain camera to see exactly what’s causing the blockages and then give you a recommendation on how to remedy the problem. Your pipes could be due for a professional clear and clean, with a high-pressure jetter or you could have a section of your pipes that are logged with tree roots – we’ll never know unless we inspect. 

Call our team today on 0420 102 394. 

Happy flushing!